Buying a DC5. Advice on which please :)

[WatkinsDW]

Hey guys im new here.

I plan on buying dc5 towards end of this year. I pretty much know most of the differences between pre-facelift and facelift in suspension setup and gear ratios and some other things, as i have tried doing alot of research using this forum, google and youtube.

But although the difference in track time is only marginal. I can't help but feel like the facelift may be much better as I kind of over think everything. Should I allow the difference in there setup bug me. Or purely buy the car based on cosmetics and how it looks? I like pre-facelift looks more. But worried it will bother me if I buy one and it turns out the facelift is actually alot better.

So what im kind of asking is some one with alot more knowledge to help lighten this, and to help me clear my head, or someone with personal experience between the two as im literelly ringing with information and im still struggling to come to a decision of which one i would like to get. I know the price difference but willing to save

Should the difference in the facelift be enough to bug me or am i over thinking there differences too much, as im extremely picky and always want the best? my fiance likes the Pre looks more.

Thanks guys sorry to be a pain :xwavey:

 

[Benneh]

Honestly, I think the cars are very much the same in the way they feel. Sure, there are minor cosmetic differences and a few mechanical changes, but in my mind they aren't a world apart from one another, and certainly not enough that you'd notice the difference every single time you drove it.

Have a look at both models in the flesh and get a feel for them. If you think saving up for a facelift would be a better choice, then do that, no one can tell you otherwise. If you end up simply preferring the looks of the PFL, then opt for one of those!

I adore mine, and I've only had it for less than six months. A facelift would have been nice, but my budget wouldn't stretch. That's why in a few years the PFL will be de/promoted to fun car and I'll get a fresh facelift for every day

 

[DC5RS]

Welcome, i would go with which you like most.
Its a car you should love it every time you see it in the morning and the moment you leave it.
The differences are not night and day, you will see a lot of pre facelifts which are fantastic. Same goes to the facelift, it all comes down to personal preferences in the end. More cosmetic than performance since they can be easily modded

 

[Lewis93]

Hi and welcome. With the question you're asking it would probably be a better suited question for somebody who has owned both the pre-facelift and facelift, or at least driven both. But as you say the differences are very marginal and if it were me in your position I would go for the looks rather than the differences in suspension as it has only been tweaked.

You may also go down the route of having a fast road set up one day and purchasing coilovers etc which will surpass the handing of a stock set up anyhow.

The main thing I would take into consideration between buying one or the other is one is newer than the other, example you may pick up a pre-facelift that is an 01 plate and a facelift which is an '06 plate and things will come with this such as less milage etc.

 

[ste01]

Welcome dude!

Not got much to add about what the differences are but I drove both a facelift and pre facelift back to back when looking at DC5s and there was nothing at all noticeable between them. I ended up going for a pre facelift because I preferred the look and arctic blue colour best.

Edit: Both were completely stock, and driven on the same route as well so a proper comparison.

 

[WatkinsDW]

Welcome, i would go with which you like most.
Its a car you should love it every time you see it in the morning and the moment you leave it.
The differences are not night and day, you will see a lot of pre facelifts which are fantastic. Same goes to the facelift, it all comes down to personal preferences in the end. More cosmetic than performance since they can be easily modded

Hi and welcome. With the question you're asking it would probably be a better suited question for somebody who has owned both the pre-facelift and facelift, or at least driven both. But as you say the differences are very marginal and if it were me in your position I would go for the looks rather than the differences in suspension as it has only been tweaked.

You may also go down the route of having a fast road set up one day and purchasing coilovers etc which will surpass the handing of a stock set up anyhow.

The main thing I would take into consideration between buying one or the other is one is newer than the other, example you may pick up a pre-facelift that is an 01 plate and a facelift which is an '06 plate and things will come with this such as less milage etc.

Thanks guy some great advice already.

So the big decision should mostly be down to which i prefer the looks of. but im so hard to please and genuinely like the way they both look almost equally.

If i may ask which by looks you guys prefer, as i think my decision can only be made depending on which the general public prefers the most. dont worry biased answers are welcome hehe.

One of my other main questions is which is easier / cheaper to mod and which can you get most parts for, as i heard something about not being able to use same aftermarket springs between the two?

 

[Lewis93]

I'd say you are going to get a lot of people saying pre-facelift but you can't take it away that if done right facelifts do look extremely good also. The only thing that would put me off ever buying a facelift is the black line across the rear lip, easily fixed with a Mugen lip etc but stock for stock I think the pre-facelift looks much nicer.

PFL springs won't fit FL and vice versa yes.

 

[WatkinsDW]

Welcome dude!

Not got much to add about what the differences are but I drove both a facelift and pre facelift back to back when looking at DC5s and there was nothing at all noticeable between them. I ended up going for a pre facelift because I preferred the look and arctic blue colour best.

Edit: Both were completely stock, and driven on the same route as well so a proper comparison.

Thats great to hear, some one who drove both and no noticeable difference, definitely helps narrow decision down to mainly looks

 

[WatkinsDW]

I'd say you are going to get a lot of people saying pre-facelift but you can't take it away that if done right facelifts do look extremely good also. The only thing that would put me off ever buying a facelift is the black line across the rear lip, easily fixed with a Mugen lip etc but stock for stock I think the pre-facelift looks much nicer.

PFL springs won't fit FL and vice versa yes.

Does that mean one may have more mods than the other? as im thinking if manufacturers know the pre is more popular then they may focus on them more?

or am i over thinking again haha sorry

 

[Mark_teg]

Gear ratios are the same.

In my opinion, as standard the prefacelift is the nicer looking car.

However, the facelift with Mugen bumper lips / skirts is just perfection!

 

[davidpingu]

Welcome.

As said you won't notice any performance difference. We're talking something like 0.3 of second around Tsukuba or along those lines. And that's in the hands of a pro who can exploit the enhancements.

As a pfl owner, the only going that bugs me is how much nicer the dials are in a fl!

 

[ste01]

If you can't decide which looks best just get pictures of both pre and facelift DC5s and then post them side by side on Facebook and see what your mates say they'd would give a more unbiased/general public idea of which looks best as they wouldn't own either or know much about them. It'd just be "that car looks better"

 

[DC5RS]

Fl mugen rear look. Pfl front And fl dials <3 wish i could

Sent from my GT-I9300

 

[WatkinsDW]

Yeah i probably will have to set some pictures on facebook or something and see who likes which, thanks for the info guys

if some one could just clear up my newbie question. does one have more mods than the other suspension wise cause they are a little different?

 

[Lewis93]

if some one could just clear up my newbie question. does one have more mods than the other suspension wise cause they are a little different?

More than enough choices for both PFL and FL.

 

[emmsyDC5xx]

Pre Facelift definitely looks better
As said once you spend the extra ££££ for skirts and lips on a Facelift (on top of the extra ££££ you have to pay to buy a Facelift) they do look nice.

I know everyone raves about the FL dials but I don't like them at all. See everyone's different

It's all down to personal taste - you can't go by other peoples opinion really as it's your car so your choice at the end of the day. You have to live with it each day not the people your asking.
So really look around this forum and in Gallery and read peoples build threads, get some ideas etc.

Good luck finding one!

 

[WatkinsDW]

Pre Facelift definitely looks better
As said once you spend the extra ££££ for skirts and lips on a Facelift (on top of the extra ££££ you have to pay to buy a Facelift) they do look nice.

I know everyone raves about the FL dials but I don't like them at all. See everyone's different

It's all down to personal taste - you can't go by other peoples opinion really as it's your car so your choice at the end of the day. You have to live with it each day not the people your asking.
So really look around this forum and in Gallery and read peoples build threads, get some ideas etc.

Good luck finding one!

Think I will have to have a browse like you said for a while. I got a few months left to buy one so hopefully my decision is made by then. Like you said the FL with the lips and stuff does look amazing but the price is crazy. Japfest this weekend so I'll probably be having a good look at all your car's if any of you are there. Thanks for the advice

 

[Javirai1]

Definitely go with the one YOU prefer..... End of the day you will be the one driving it and it will always bug you if you think it's the wrong one just to please other people. Everyone is different and has different tastes, but they are essentially the same car underneath.

Come along to say hello to everyone at japfest, have a beer and have a good look round. Guarantee your mind will be made up by the time you leave

But whichever one you buy..... Just look after it, enjoy it and don't drive it round like a 21 year old at Max Power loll

 

[WatkinsDW]

Definitely go with the one YOU prefer..... End of the day you will be the one driving it and it will always bug you if you think it's the wrong one just to please other people. Everyone is different and has different tastes, but they are essentially the same car underneath.

Come along to say hello to everyone at japfest, have a beer and have a good look round. Guarantee your mind will be made up by the time you leave

But whichever one you buy..... Just look after it, enjoy it and don't drive it round like a 21 year old at Max Power loll

Yeah I'm definitely going to use japfest to really help me decide. Be nice to say hello to all the people ill be associating with once I've purchased mine. Don't worry once I've got one it will be in good hands. I'll be polishing behind the wheels and under the engine haha. Such a beautiful car I can't wait to dedicate most of my time on it.